Right Before Our Eyes part 2
by Dana E. Vassy
Summary: XF/Frasier crossover. A death in Seattle makes Mulder & Scully realise life is too short..


Title: Right Before Our Eyes (1/2)  
Author: Dana E. Vassy (Lola's pseudonym)  
Rating: PG   
Category: Character death, MSR  
Spoilers: nothing in particular, just anything up until orison is fair   
game though  
Summary: Our agents investigate a disappearance in Seattle, learning a   
valuable lesson from the  
loss of others. Scully POV  
Disclaimer: To the esteemed Chris Carter et al – no profit, no infringement intended   
and no harm done? Are we agreed?  
Dedications: To my best buddy LisMee – we're moving out – it's finally gonna   
happen!  
  
Instead of Mulder, the man standing in the doorway proved to be Frasier. Stunned, I   
invited him inside. He had obviously been crying, and quickly informed me that he   
had needed a break from Niles and the general atmosphere in his house. As the days   
had passed concern had only heightened. Even I was pessimistic of our chances.   
That may have been related to seven hours treks around the city.  
  
Frasier needed me to allay his fears, and I could not claim to have been overly   
convincing. But he accepted my platitudes, happy to be anywhere but home. He told   
me about his son, and badly failed marriages.* (* I'm writing this part at 1:44am,   
and real life is blurring with the sitcom. I know Kelsey Grammer has been married a   
lot. Frasier married Lilith, and I think he married Diane. I dunno – point out if I'm   
wrong!) I saw a man who had spent his entire professional life exploring the   
psyche of others, and it seemed his own had been neglected. He told me further of his   
life before Seattle, and his favourite pub in Boston. The affection in his silken tones   
reminded me of Mulder on the rare occasions he had discussed college. Was I like   
this about med school? I never thought so. As Frasier's smooth voice filled the room,   
I found myself inexplicably drawn to him. Perhaps it was my loneliness, frustration   
or a little bit of everything. But before I could embarrass myself, the trusty cell phone   
saved the day.  
  
Mulder.  
  
From one syllable, I realised how foolish I had almost been. Why had I dreamed of   
kissing anyone but Mulder? ::because you're not kissing Mulder:: the little voice in   
my head wailed. The same voice that made me eat ice cream straight from the tub. I   
felt the switch being flicked. All the emotions I had barely contained hit me like a   
speeding express train. Drunk on the strength of feeling I staggered over to the bed   
and sat down. Mulder seemed sad, and then I heard him mention a body. The giddy   
sensation quickly passed.  
  
I slumped on to my side. Daphne, a body. A woman I had never met – and yet her   
death sent me reeling. Niles would provide positive ID of the corpse, but Mulder   
thought it best if I located Frasier and brought him along. The revelation of his   
presence in my hotel room brought a jealous silence from Mulder. At least I hope it   
was jealousy. Switching to uber-Scully mode, I prepared for the morgue trip.   
  
Breaking the news to Frasier was difficult. He winced as though slapped by some   
unseen hand. But to his credit, he did not crumble – but stood firm, ready to support   
his brother. How noble – to put the grief of another before one's own.  
  
Morgues are hardly renowned for their happy atmosphere, but that was the most   
painful scene I ever had to witness. The identification was made by the Crane   
brothers, as their father wept silent tears in the corridor. To watch, to experience this   
was like intruding. When they were done, I went back in to tidy up. God, that made   
the whole story seem like a tea party. As I did, I looked at the woman before me. She   
had been striking, and for some reason I felt a positive vibe from her. Even in death   
she exuded a certain radiance. Just before I closed the drawer, Niles returned to the   
room. He asked if he might say goodbye.  
  
As I made to leave, he urged that I stay. I doubt he could have coped being alone   
with the body. So I kept a respectable distance and waited. It took a while for the   
fresh tears to subside, but eventually they did.  
  
"I love you Daphne. I never told you, but I do. I planned a thousand scenarios   
for this. Found pieces of poetry; romantic music; I even decided what to wear.   
But that's all gone. Rest well, my sweet. Perhaps soon, I can tell you in   
person. I just…wish..i…hadn't waited."  
  
The final parting proved too much, and I escorted Niles to rejoin his family. With a   
brief handshake, we all parted company for the last time. Another brutal murder:   
another round of heartbreak. Moments like these were enough to cause a rethink of   
career path. In silence, I headed for the car, shortly followed by a typically pensive   
Mulder.  
  
As we sat in the car, I knew I had to speak – break the eerie quiet. So I spoke exactly   
what was on my mind.  
  
"You know the worst thing?" Mulder's questioning gaze urged me on. "Niles   
loved Daphne more than anything, yet he never got to tell her. What a waste. Think   
how much they missed out on because they hid from the truth. I'd like to think that   
Daphne did know how he felt, even if he never expressed it."  
  
A momentary pause, before Mulder's musings spewed forth in their usual torrent.  
  
"Don't worry Scully. Not everyone here is emotionally repressed. That Roz   
woman propositioned me at least three times." As he eyebrow shot up, he placated   
"Not that I was interested. Anyway, I'd like to think Daphne knew how he felt.   
Perhaps she denied to herself for some reason, or used professionalism as an excuse.   
It happens."  
  
I looked away, not daring to believe what I was hearing. My heart thundered in my   
ears, and my breathing laboured somewhat.   
  
"She couldn't be that blind, huh Scully?" His long fingers reached for my   
hand. I put up no resistance. "There's something I have to say…"  
  
"I love you," I blurted out, unable to halt my errant tongue. With a mild chuckle, he   
returned my sentiments. As the moon fell across his chiselled features, I knew I could   
spend the rest of my life gazing at this face; feeling this skin against my own. And as   
Fox Mulder leaned in for that perfect kiss, I knew I could spend eternity here, if only   
for those lips.  
  
FIN  
  



End file.
